Monday Morning Cooking Club's Matzo Ball Soup Recipe

Monday Morning Cooking Club share Passover traditions

The Monday Morning Cooking Club are sharing more traditional Jewish recipes.

Soup is the ultimate comfort food, and the tastiest treat to warm the soul.

Matzo Ball Soup is a traditional favourite for the Jewish celebration of Passover, which begins on Friday, 19th April this year.

Keep reading for the full recipe and find out more about the Monday Morning Cooking Club here.

Makes 20 - 30 matzo balls

Ingredients:

4 XL eggs, separated (or 5 medium)

190 g (1 1/2 heaped cups) coarse matzo meal

85 ml (1/3 cup) vegetable oil

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper (optional)

125 ml (½ cup) water, plus more if needed

Method:

In an electric mixer, whisk the whites until stiff peaks form.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly and mix with the matzo meal, oil, water, salt and pepper. Add this mixture spoon by spoon into the whites, whisking after each addition. The mixture should be sludgy and not yet able to be rolled into balls. Add another ¼ cup water if needed. Taste and season generously. Set aside for 30 minutes, giving it a light fold through after 15 minutes.

Bring a stockpot or very large saucepan of well-salted water to the boil. With wet hands, and without pressing too firmly, lightly roll the matzo meal mixture into smooth walnut-sized balls and drop into the boiling water. After the last ball has been dropped in, partially cover and continue to boil for 20 minutes, stirring gently from time to time. Remove the pot from the heat and allow the balls to cool in the water.

When ready to serve, remove with a slotted spoon and reheat in chicken soup.

Simple Chicken Soup

Makes 3 - 4 litres

Start this recipe the day before serving

Serve within 3 days or freeze for future use

Ingredients:

2 kg chicken frames

1 whole chicken, cut into pieces

Handful giblets

2 medium carrots, peeled

1 large onion, unpeeled and quartered

2 - 3 stems dill and parsley

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Wash the chicken and the bones under cold running water. Put them in a stockpot along with the other ingredients. Pour in enough cold water to just cover, around 3 - 4 litres.

Bring to the boil. Skim off the scum that rises to the surface, partially cover and continue to cook at a light boil for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Allow to cool slightly for 30 minutes before removing the bones and straining the soup, discarding everything except the carrot.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Allow to cool and refrigerate overnight. The next day, skim off the fat. Reheat the soup to serve, tasting for seasoning and flavour. If the flavour is not strong enough, bring to a boil and reduce to reach the desired taste, and if the flavour is too strong, add some water.